AMU campus violence: Vice Chancellor demands CBI inquiry

Aligarh: Days after violence rocked the AMU campus leaving two persons dead, Vice Chancellor Zameer Uddin Shah today said that he was determined to trace the real instigators behind it and demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.

In a letter to UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the Vice Chancellor sought "either a CBI enquiry or an enquiry by the Special Task Force (STF)".

Acknowledging that "some mistakes may have been made by University authorities" in controlling the violence, Shah said he was "determined to set things back on track" and trace the "real instigators" behind the violence.

Two persons were killed in violent clashes between two groups on the campus last Saturday following which Rapid Action Force was deployed.

Preliminary reports suggested that a majority of those involved in the violence were external elements including students who have been expelled earlier for criminal activities.

When pointed out that no arrests have been made till date despite several named FIRs, Shah told reporters, "We are working on videographic evidence and in the next few days you will seethe results".

"When the University closes for summer vacation, we are going to ensure that each and every room in the hostels is vacated by June 15. The only exception will be medical students who will be provided special accommodation," he said.

The University will then make fresh allotments on the basis of recommendation of the Central Allotment Committee. When the University reopens after the summer vacation, a new system of "accountability and checks" will be in place in all University hostels, he Yadav.

Shah said once the report of the high powered enquiry committee is received, and if anybody is found to be "sheltering anti-social elements at the campus", then he will have no hesitation whatsoever in taking "strong punitive measures".

The AMU Teachers' Association has also made a strong pitch for instituting a CBI enquiry. The Vice Chancellor has also written a letter to central authorities seeking deployment of Rapid Action Force for the next fortnight to help in "Operation Clean Up".

District Magistrate Balkar Singh has ordered a magisterial probe and the police have instituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) which has been handed over the responsibility of working out all cases of violence.